Different Perspectives of Public Administration - 2

IAS Notes November 07, 2022
Different Perspectives of the Study of Public Administration
(Scope of Public Administration)

Other perspectives of the study of Public Administration are -
  1. Public Administration as an Organisation
  2. Public Administration as a Function
  3. Public Administration as Behaviour

Public Administration as an Organisation 

What is Organisation?

Organisation → have some purpose → which requires resources (material) to fulfill that purpose → and need people who are willing to contribute to fulfill that purpose

And for achieving this purpose in most efficient manner, there is a need of Structure (Physical as well as Analytical structure) with their respective functions.

There may be a unique function performed by a unique structure like Police → Law & Order.
And there may be a single structure performing various functions like Family → performing economic function, psychological function, social function, etc.
And there may be many structure performing a single function like Family, School, College, Tution → all performs to provide Education.

public administration


Public Administration as an Organisation
  • Organisation is a collaborative efforts towards the achievement of a pre-decided purpose.
  • It involves a rational arrangement of resources both material as well as human.
  • The common purpose of all the members of the organisation must be supported by their willingness to contribute. This willingness can be considered as a voluntary intention of co-operation and co-ordination.
  • Cooperation is merely a willingness unless it is channelised through deliberate efforts, i.e., synchronisation of efforts; it can't be translated into the purpose. This synchronisation of efforts is called as coordination.
  • For coordination it is essential to have a structure. 
  • A structure can be considered as the most efficient manner to arrange the various resources and develop rules and regulations to keep this arrangement permanent.
  • Structures are of two types - Physical (visible) and Analytical (intellectual, moral or ethical).
  • The Physical Structure is mostly related to the forms or physiology of the organisation. Whereas Analytical Structure may be abstract and intangible.
  • For example - Constitution as a book or document is a physical structure whereas the constitution as an idea itself that we must be governed by a framework in itself is a structure which is analytical.
  • Structure is also associated with the function. 
  • There may be a unique structure for unique function or single structure for many functions or many structures for a single function.

Public Administration as a Function 
  • It means that there is a unique function to be provided by this structure (Public Administration) which can't be provided by others.
  • The scope of the study of Public Administration as a function includes the domain of government activity; whatever the government pursues or decides as its objective becomes the duty of the administration.
  • According to G. C. Keydel, Public Administration in any society performs the following functions -
    • Welfare activity like social development, protection of weaker section, inclusion of vulnerable and minorities.
    • Authoritative activity like enforcement of law & order, justice delivery, maintenance of public property, security and defence, etc.
    • Distributive function like land reforms, taxations, transfer of ownership, titles, etc as well as distribution of economic resources through PSUs.
  • As the nature of the state changes from Police to Welfare, Welfare to Neo-liberal and Neo-liberal to Workfaire; the scope of the Public Administration's function also underwent drastic change (not necessarily the structure also changes as in case of India).
  • In fact today, the Public Administration's function would have reduced in quantity but have increased many folds in terms of quality.
Transformation of State → change in the role of Public Administration

Transformation of states


Administrative Darwinism - Administrative Darwinism states that with changing circumstance, administration had to undergo several changes and had to adapt for their continuation, i.e., Administration keeps evolving.


Public Administration as a Behaviour 
  • As the structure and function of the organisation is impacted by the behaviour of administratior, thus the study of Public Administration also involves the behavioural aspects of administrators.
  • It studied the nature of human being within the administration, i.e., the employees in the organisation.
  • It includes the study of various aspects like -
    1. Attitude
    2. Emotion
    3. Psychology
    4. Behaviour (individual as well as group)
    5. Mentality (social-cultural inclination), etc.
  • The study of human behaviour helps us to easily adapt to the changing situations.
  • Human resources is like an investment, if we change a structure or a procedure, its utility is limited but if we invest in human resource its potential is indefinite, its capability to adapt becomes many times.
  • Modern organisations are human centric organisations.


Notes on other subjects


Optional Notes
Note - This is my Vision IAS Notes (Vision IAS Class Notes) and Ashutosh Pandey Sir's Public Administration Class notes. I've also added some of the information on my own. 

Hope! It will help you to achieve your dream of getting selected in Civil Services Examination 👍
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